Improvement in refrigerators



F J. GOHN & F. HEIM.

- improvement in Rfrigerators,&c.

No. 131,396. I Patented Sep, 17, 1 872.

x TU 6 WITNESSES: INVENTORSI UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN GOHN, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, AND FERDINAND HEIM, OF EAST ST. LOUIS, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN REFRIGERATORS, 8w.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 131,396, dated September 17, 1872.

nying drawing, and to the letters of reference marked thereon. r

This invention relates, first, in providing an oval-shaped metallic partition or top in combination with the inside top or roof part of the refrigerator, in such a manner as to form an air-chamber, and further providing same with pipes or tubes for the escape of the warm or impure air secondly, to the peculiar construction of a separate ice-box or reservoir, the top part thereof being similar to that of the refrigerator-top, so as to form a duplicate ovalshaped foul-air chamber,having escape-tubes; the bottom of said ice-chamber, however, consisting of two metallic floors, oval shaped-on the inside floor there being arranged joists to support the ice, while further tube-outlets are provided in both said floors for the downward passage of the cold and dry air into the body or preserving-chamber of the refrigerator; thirdly, to certain detail construction of parts, all of which will now more fully appear.

To enable those herein skilled to make and use our said improvements, we will now more fully describe the same, referring to Figure 1 as a'longitudinal sectional elevation to Fig. 2 as a transverse section at line a; w.

A is the box or chest of the refrigerator, closed on top and having hinged doors in front, as ordinary. Also the said box and doors are packed with usual non-conducting material. The interior, such as all sides and bottom of the box A, will be lined with galvanized metal. The top of the box A, however, is provided with an air-chamber, as follows:

, To the inside top of the box A is properly secured an oval-shaped metal roofing or false top a. (See Figs. 1 and 2.) The said metal top, in conjunction with the wooden top of the box A, forms an air'chamber, B, with enlarged passages b extending longitudinally on both sides the top of box A. Further, the metal top a is provided with a series of perforations, b, through which the impure air from bottom passes into the air-chamber B; from thence exit of the impure air is provided through the pipes O, which connect from air-chamber out of the top or roof of the refrigerator. In order to store the ice with greater advantage and perfectly utilize its refrigerating qualities, the box A is provided with a separate icechamber D, as follows: The opposite sides and top of the ice-chamber D are constructed as usual, to be packed. and filled with nonconducting material. The top of the ice-chamber D, however, we also form similarly to the top of the refrigerator aforesaid, viz., by properly attaching to inside of its top an ovalshaped metallic false top (1, so as to form the air-chamber (1 as shown in Fig. 2. Also the metallic top d has one or more small holes, (1*,

which permit passage ofwtherising vapors from ice-chamber into its air-chamber, al from thence upward exit is provided through one or more small tubes, (P, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2--the object of the air-chamber d being to allow free collection and exit of all vapor or dampness out of ice-chamber D to pass upward through the tubes 11 into the upper airchamber B and out of same. The bottom of the ice-chamber D consists of two metallic floors, E E, oval shaped, properly attached so as to form part of the wooden body of said ice-chamber. (See figures.) Between the metal bottoms E E the space is filled with proper non-conducting material, the object being to prevent all dampness and undry vapors from permeating the body of the box or preserving-chamber. On top the inside bottom E are transverse joists, e, to support the cakes of ice. (See figures.) The ice being entirely incased in a separate chamber is perfectly protected from contact with the warm or external air, thus insuring a great saving of ice and a more perfect utilization of its refrigeratin g properties. Also, it will be noted that the ice resting upon the joists forms, in conjunction with the contiguous metal floor E, a refrigerating-chamber or cold-air passage, in which the full benefit of the refrigeration process is allowed to collect and pass. Therefore, to pass the cold air refrigerated in the icechamber D downward and fill the body of the refrigerator, the metallic bottoms E E are provided longitudinally on both sides with a series of tube-outlets or cold-air vents, ehthese being further provided with proper caps, 6 (see Fig. 2,) by which the admission and passage of the cold air in its downward course can be regulated and graduated. A varying temperature as desired can thus be achieved in the preserving'chamber by the letting on or shutting off of the cold-air supply. As usual the interior remaining sides of the ice-chamber D are suitably lined with metal. Also the icechamber has one or more front doors. In order to allow the warm air to ascend as the refrigeration process descends, clearance space 6 is left around the sides, back, and top of the ice-chamber D in filling and supporting same on proper transverse stays, 0 within the body of the refrigerator. The peculiar-shaped botv tom of the ice'chamber further creates side passages, and thus all external air within the preserving-chamber is allowed free upward passage under and along the sides and top of said ice-chamber; from thence to commingle and pass, together with the ascending vapor or air, out of air-chamber d (of ice-chamber D) up through the series of perforations 12 into the top foul-air chamber B from thence exit through the tubes 0 out of top of refrigerator. F is a waste-pipe, connecting with a transverse pipe, f, and branch-pipes (see Fig. 2,) to inside flooring of the ice-chamber D, to effect the drainage of the water from the melting ice. The pipe F can be passed through the side or wall to the bottom of the refrigerator to waste or to communicate with a cooler. '7

The principle of construction here shown and described is applicable for ice-houses and buildings for the preservation of fruits and other substances. In such cases the roofs of the buildings will be constructed and provided with foul-air chamber B, as shown. Similarly the lower chambers of the preserving-house to contain provisions will be separated from its roof part by a second chamber, constructed similarly to the ice-chamber or reservoir D, above described, for the storing of ice, and having also the duplicate air-chamber d at top, with metallic bottoms E E, joists 6, and coldair passages e, to admit dry cold air into the preserving-chamber beneath.

Having thus fully described our said invention, what we claim, is

1. The metallic top at, having perforations b, in combination with pipes or tubes 0 and top of refrigerator A, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A separate ice-chamber or reservoir D, provided with a metallic top,'d, having perforations d tubes or pipes 61 the bottom of said ice-chamber consisting of metallic floors E E, cold-air vents e with caps e all constructed and arranged as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In combination with box or buildings A, the metal top a with perforations b, pipes (J, ice'chamber D having metal top (1, perforations 0?, pipes or tubes at, metallic bottoms E E, air-vents 0 and caps 6 all constructed and arranged as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony of said invention we have hereunto set our hands.

JOHN GOHN. FERDINAND HEIM.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM W. HERTHEL, ROBERT BURNS. 

